Week 5 Fantasy Basketball Planner

It's safe to start almost any Hawk on your Fantasy roster, but owners of Andre Iguodala and Steve Nash don't quite have that luxury. Sergio Gonzalez touches on that and much more in his Week 5 Fantasy Planner.

Our weekly Fantasy Basketball Planner is the essential guide
to setting your lineup for the upcoming scoring period. Every week, we
provide you with news and notes for each team, tracking hot and cold
players, injuries and rotation changes.

Atlanta Hawks Schedule: BOS, @NJ, WAS, @NY, @TORGood
Plays:
Al Horford
,
Josh Smith
,
Joe Johnson
Bad
Plays:
Jeff Teague
,
Zaza Pachulia
Toss Ups:
Jamal Crawford
,
Mike Bibby
,
Marvin Williams
Injury Report: No significant injuries.Notes:
Five games! That's right, five games. Fantasy owners in cumulative
leagues should be licking their chops. Crawford's numbers are down this
year and he is averaging just 11.0 points over his last five games.
Avoid him in average-based leagues this week unless that type of
production appeals to you. In cumulative leagues, however, the five
games still make him a viable play as a low-end starter. ... Bibby had a
promising game this week at Indiana with a 16-7-4 stat line. He had been
highly unproductive before that. Like Crawford, avoid him in
average-based play unless he really heats up over the weekend. You may
consider him a viable one-week stopgap in cumulative formats, however.
... Williams averaged just 8.3 points and 5.0 rebounds in his first
three games back from his knee injury. Same situation as Crawford and
Bibby here. Avoid him in average-based play at all costs. Consider him
if you are looking for a one-week replacement option off the waiver wire
in a cumulative-scoring league.

Boston Celtics Schedule: @ATL, NJ, TORGood
Plays:
Rajon Rondo
,
Paul Pierce
,
Kevin Garnett
Bad
Plays:
Nate Robinson
,
Delonte West
,
Glen Davis
,
Semih Erden
Toss Ups:
Ray Allen
,
Shaquille O'Neal
Injury Report:
Jermaine O'Neal
(knee/December),
Kendrick Perkins
(knee/February)Notes: The Celtics play a three-game slate
with two games against teams that allow less than 96 points per game
(@ATL, NJ). ... Allen has been hit or miss lately with a couple of
low-end scoring outputs mixed in with three games of over 15-plus
(including a 35-point effort on Nov. 11 at Miami). He is more of a
low-end play this week, but is a viable start in any format. ... With
Jermaine O'Neal
sidelined, Shaq's numbers have gone up this week to the
point you can expect around 13-15 points and six rebounds per game out
of him. He is still seeing under 25 minutes per game, however. ...
Glen Davis
has cooled off, averaging 6.6 points and 5.6 rebounds
over his last five games. ... West put together a solid 12-4-5 stat line
in his return from a 10-game suspension this week. He saw a lot of
playing time that he will not normally see due to the game being a
blowout, however. Unless he backs it up over the weekend, avoid him. We
anticipate him playing just around 20 minutes per game off the bench.

Sergio's Sleepers for Week 5

* Sleepers are players started in less than 70 percent of
CBSSports.com leagues

Player

Start %

1.

D.J. Augustin
, G, Bobcats

59

2.

Jameer Nelson
, G, Magic

60

3.

Dorell Wright
, F, Warriors

52

4.

Tyson Chandler
, C, Mavericks

52

5.

Daniel Gibson
, G, Cavaliers

29

6.

Serge Ibaka
, F, Thunder

64

7.

Taj Gibson
, F, Bulls

51

8.

Channing Frye
, C, Suns

38

9.

Andris Biedrins
, C, Warriors

40

10.

Boris Diaw
, F, Bobcats

38

Charlotte Bobcats Schedule: @NY, NY, HOU, @MILGood
Plays:
Gerald Wallace
,
Stephen Jackson
Bad Plays:
Kwame Brown
Toss
Ups:
D.J. Augustin
,
Boris Diaw
,
Tyrus Thomas
,
Nazr Mohammed
Injury Report: No significant injuries.Notes:
The Knicks allow 106.5 points per game. ... The Rockets allow 107.3
points per game. ...Brown is back from an ankle injury, but he
is looking at merely 10-15 minutes per game for now. Avoid him. ...
Augustin's scoring has been erratic, but his assist totals have been
consistent. Entering the weekend, he notched 10-plus assists in three
straight. His scoring could also see a nice boost with favorable
matchups against the Knicks and Rockets. ... Look for Diaw to be in the
10-15 ppg range in the three games against the Knicks (twice) and
Rockets. That goes with his usual five rebounds and three assists per
game. ... Coming off a 20-and-10 performance against the Timberwolves,
Thomas looks like a strong play in Week 5. He entered the weekend
averaging 13.5 points and 7.8 rebounds over his last five games. ...
With Brown not yet a factor at center, Mohammed should continue to see
favorable playing time. He remains a No. 3 center in standard formats,
but can be used in a pinch this week -- especially given the favorable
matchups.

Chicago Bulls Schedule: @LAL, @PHO, @DEN, @SACGood
Plays:
Derrick Rose
,
Joakim Noah
,
Luol Deng
Bad
Plays:
C.J. Watson
Toss Ups:
Taj Gibson
,
Kyle Korver
,
Keith Bogans
,
Ronnie Brewer
Injury
Report:
Carlos Boozer
(hand/December)Notes:
The Bulls will face four teams that allow 102-plus points per game
in Week 5. Expect high-scoring, high-volume totals all week. ... The
favorable matchups makes deep sleepers like Korver, Bogans and Brewer
possible targets off the waiver wire as emergency one-week replacements.
We rank them in that order for Week 5. Korver and Bogans have appeal for
their 3-point shooting. Brewer is enjoying the most playing time of the
three. ... Gibson's numbers have been down this past week due to poor
shooting efforts. There will be plenty of chances for him to get going
on that end in Week 5.

Cleveland Cavaliers Schedule: @IND, MIL, @ORL, MEMGood
Plays: The Cavaliers have no must-starts at this time. Bad
Plays:
Anthony Parker
,
Jamario Moon
,
Ryan Hollins
Toss
Ups:
Antawn Jamison
,
JJ Hickson
,
Daniel Gibson
,
Mo Williams
,
Ramon Sessions
,
Anderson Varejao
Injury Report:
Mo Williams
(groin/day-to-day)Notes: The Pacers and
Grizzlies each allow 100-plus points per game. The Bucks and Magic,
however, rank among the top three defensive teams in the NBA entering
the weekend. ... Jamison has slowly regained the upper hand in the power
forward battle for minutes in Cleveland, but Hickson has not completely
faded away. Right now, the split makes both players merely low-end
starters in standard Fantasy leagues. ... Williams is practicing and
looks to be a game-time decision going into the weekend. Williams had
cooled off significantly after his hot start and scored just 11 points
with 11 assists combined over his last two games before getting hurt. We
recommend healthier alternatives barring a resounding display over the
weekend. ... Williams' situation also influences the potential output of
Gibson and Sessions, but Gibson has been able to stay very productive
even alongside Williams. Gibson is playing in the 30-minute range and is
getting consistently around 10-13 shots per game, including several
looks from beyond the arc. ... Varejao entered the weekend averaging 8.8
points, 7.0 rebounds and 33.8 minutes over his previous five games. He
remains a low-end play.

Dallas Mavericks Schedule: DET, @OKC, @SA, MIAGood
Plays:
Dirk Nowitzki
,
Jason Kidd
,
Jason Terry
Bad
Plays:
Shawn Marion
,
Brendan Haywood
,
J.J. Barea
,
Roddy Beaubois
Toss Ups:
Caron Butler
,
Tyson Chandler
Injury Report:
Roddy Beaubois
(foot/out indefinitely)Notes: Butler did
not look to be at full strength in his return from back spasms. His
numbers (especially scoring) have been down across the board this
season. We recommend letting him prove healthy and productive before
activating him. ... Marion saw a spike in production while Butler was
out, but his numbers dipped just as as sharply once Butler returned.
Avoid him. ... Chandler is getting around 30 minutes per game, resulting
in averages of 10.2 points and 9.0 rebounds over his last five games. He
also offers plus production in blocks. He should flourish against the
Thunder and the Heat. In fact, the Heat have been torched by opposing
centers all season.

Denver Nuggets Schedule: @GS, CHI, PHOGood
Plays:
Carmelo Anthony
, NeneBad
Plays:
J.R. Smith
,
Ty Lawson
,
Shelden Williams
Toss
Ups:
Chauncey Billups
,
Al Harrington
,
Arron Afflalo
,
Gary Forbes
Injury Report:
Carmelo Anthony
(groin/day-to-day),
Chris Andersen
(knee/December),
Kenyon Martin
(knee/January)Notes: Anthony appeared to tweak his groin on
Tuesday night, but was able to play on Thursday night. ... Billups'
production is down in the early going, he is averaging 13.0 points, 4.2
assists and 2.4 assists over his last five games -- hardly "must-start"
numbers. ... Lawson came back down to earth this week after a pair of
strong performances in high-scoring games last week. He'll get his
chance eventually, but not yet. ... At shooting guard, Afflalo and
Forbes are getting minutes over Smith as coach George Karl and Smith
continue to be at odds with each other. Afflalo is the most appealing
Fantasy option of the three for the time being, but he remains just a
low-end play for Week 5. Forbes has some sleeper appeal for deeper
leagues. This situation is far from settled. ... Harrington saw a spike
in shot attempts this week against high-volume teams in the Suns and
Knicks. He saw 15 shots in each game. He'll get the Suns again in Week 5
and another high-volume team in the Warriors. Harrington is worth
activating in any average-based format and most standard cumulative
leagues as a No. 3 or 4 forward.

Detroit Pistons Schedule: @DAL, @MEM, MIL, NYGood
Plays:
Rodney Stuckey
Bad
Plays:
Greg Monroe
,
Jason Maxiell
Toss Ups:
Tayshaun Prince
,
Austin Daye
,
Charlie Villanueva
,
Richard Hamilton
,
Ben Gordon
Injury Report:
Tracy McGrady
(ankle/day-to-day),
Jonas Jerebko
(Achilles'/February)Notes: Prince is back to his usual,
steady, boring numbers. He is averaging 12.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and
1.4 assists over his last five contests. He does not stray far from
those numbers. Use him in those leagues where that type of production
may be useful. ... Daye was temporarily removed from the starting lineup
and received an odd DNP-CD on Nov. 14 at Sacramento, but that was
reportedly just due to matchups. He was right back in there for the
team's next two games and did not skip a beat. He is playing around 25
minutes and is offering around 13 points and five boards per game. ...
Villanueva remains the power forward with the most upside on the roster.
He is averaging 26.6 minutes, 15.0 points and 4.2 rebounds over his last
five contests. We expect more of the same. ... Hamilton has become a
low-teens scorer with only pedestrian contributions in rebounds and
assists. He is a very low-end play. ... Gordon has not been able to
rekindle his early-season success. He is capable of double-digit
scoring, mostly in the mid-teens, off the bench, but is not very
consistent at the moment. He should only be viewed as an injury
replacement for now.

Golden State Warriors Schedule: DEN, @HOU, @MEM, @MINGood
Plays:
Monta Ellis
,
Stephen Curry
Bad Plays:
David Lee
Toss
Ups:
Dorell Wright
,
Andris Biedrins
,
Reggie Williams
Injury
Report:
David Lee
(wrist/out
indefinitely)Notes: The Warriors will play four teams that
allow 104-plus points per game. ... Lee is to be re-examined this
upcoming Tuesday. We will then know an exact timetable for a return, but
he is not going to be a safe play in weekly formats as a result of the
uncertainty. ... Thanks to the favorable high-volume matchups all week,
Wright looks like a strong low-end play. His production has cooled since
his red-hot start, but he remains capable of consistent mid-teens
scoring and is a plus 3-point producer. ... The matchups could also
provide a much-needed scoring boost to Biedrins, who has been rebounding
steadily without much success on the offensive end. ... Consider
Williams -- who has scored 11 or more points in three of his last four
games -- a deep sleeper for larger formats given the matchups. He
attempted 10-plus shots in back-to-back games going into the weekend and
should see more opportunities in games we expect to be high volume.

Houston Rockets Schedule: PHO, GS, @CHA, OKCGood
Plays:
Luis Scola
,
Kevin Martin
Bad Plays:
Yao Ming
,
Shane Battier
,
Courtney Lee
,
Chase Budinger
,
Chuck Hayes
,
Ish Smith
Toss
Ups:
Kyle Lowry
,
Brad Miller
,
Jordan Hill
Injury
Report:
Aaron Brooks
(ankle/December),
Yao Ming
(leg/out until at least Nov. 22),
Chase Budinger
(ankle/out until at least Nov. 19)Notes: The Rockets face
three favorable matchups against teams that allow 102-plus points per
game (PHO-108.1, GS-102.7, OKC-105.4). ... Yao has yet to play since
Nov. 10. He did not go on the team's current road trip and the earliest
he might return is Monaday against Phoenix. Monitor his progress, but he
would likely be very restricted even if he does return. Do not count on
activating him. ... If Yao's status remains undetermined, that means
players who have stepped up in his absence (Miller, Hill, Hayes) will be
too risky to activate. ... Lowry is averaging 31.4 minutes over his last
five games in Brooks' absence, but just 6.6 points. He is averaging 5.6
assists and 4.8 rebounds in that span, but remains useful only in the
deepest of leagues. ... Smith's playing time has become very
inconsistent since Lowry's return. Too inconsistent to trust in anything
but the most dire of emergency situations, actually.

Most Added Players

* as of Nov. 19

Player

% Change

1.

Wesley Matthews
, G, Trail Blazers

36

2.

Landry Fields
, G, Knicks

35

3.

Sonny Weems
, G, Raptors

29

4.

Brad Miller
, C, Rockets

28

5.

Kris Humphries
, F, Nets

27

6.

Nazr Mohammed
, C, Bobcats

25

7.

Tyson Chandler
, C, Mavericks

20

8.

Drew Gooden
, F, Bucks

19

9.

Mike Dunleavy
, F, Pacers

18

10.

Travis Outlaw
, F, Nets

17

Indiana Pacers Schedule: @MIA, CLE, OKC, @LALGood
Plays:
Danny Granger
,
Roy Hibbert
Bad Plays:
Josh McRoberts
,
Tyler Hansbrough
,
Paul George
Toss Ups:
Darren Collison
,
T.J. Ford
,
Mike Dunleavy
,
Brandon Rush
Injury
Report:
Darren Collison
(ankle/day-to-day)Notes: Collison goes into the weekend
listed as "day-to-day." Coach Jim O'Brien said that his injury is a bit
more severe than originally believed, but he should be back soon --
possibly over the weekend. Monitor his progress. Ford remains a very
low-end play even if Collison were to be ruled out. ... Dunleavy is
averaging an 18-3-4 stat line over his last five games, getting 32.6
minutes per game. He missed Thursday's game to be with his wife for the
birth of his child. ... Rush has enjoyed only sporadic success. With
Dunleavy in the mix, Rush should be avoided in all but the deepest of
leagues.

L.A. ClippersSchedule: NO, SAC, @PHO, UTAGood
Plays:
Blake Griffin
,
Eric Gordon
Bad Plays:
Rasual Butler
,
Ryan Gomes
,
Craig Smith
,
Randy Foye
Toss
Ups:
Eric Bledsoe
,
Al-Farouq Aminu
,
DeAndre Jordan
Injury
Report:
Baron Davis
(knee/late
November),
Chris Kaman
(ankle/December),
Blake Griffin
(ankle/day-to-day),
DeAndre Jordan
(finger/day-to-day)Notes: Griffin appeared to
roll his ankle during Thursday night's gamein Indiana. He played
on, but monitor his progress over the weekend for potential setbacks. We
expect him to be a safe start. ... Davishas been ruled
out through Thanksgiving. He may return late in Week 5, but he is a
player to avoid. ... Bledsoe will get at least two starts in the
four-game week. We suspect Davis would be very limited upon a possible
return and still view Bledsoe (averaging a 12-5-5 stat line in his last
five games) a viable low-end start in any format. ... With Kaman still
out, Jordan will continue to start. He jammed a finger Thursday night
and finished 0 for 7 from the field. He has been far too inconsistent to
trust in Fantasy play. ... Aminu has taken over the small forward role
over Gomes and is looking at double-digit shot attempts on a regular
basis, including a decent workload from beyond the arc. He is worth
activating in deeper leagues and should benefit from three games against
opponents that allow 100-plus points.

L.A. LakersSchedule: CHI, @UTA, INDGood Plays:
Kobe Bryant
,
Pau Gasol
,
Lamar Odom
Bad Plays:
Matt Barnes
,
Derek Fisher
,
Steve Blake
Toss Ups:
Metta World Peace
,
Shannon Brown
Injury Report:
Andrew Bynum
(knee/December)Notes: Artest is playing
through some lingering soreness in his hip area and has even been
receiving some treatment on the bench in recent games when he is subbed
out. He followed a recent string of four straight double-digit scoring
efforts with 10 points combined over his last two games entering the
weekend. Avoid activating him for now. ... Brown is seeing a
considerable workload from beyond the arc, going 9 of 20 from beyond the
arc in his last five contests. He has some appeal in deeper category
leagues for help in that area, but little else while Kobe remains
healthy.

Memphis Grizzlies Schedule: DET, GS, @CLEGood
Plays:
Rudy Gay
,
Zach Randolph
,
Marc Gasol
,
Mike Conley
Bad Plays:
Darrell Arthur
,
Xavier Henry
,
Hasheem Thabeet
,
Greivis Vasquez
Toss
Ups:
O.J. Mayo
Injury Report:
No significant injuries.Notes: Conley is not quite
maintaining his early-season pace, but the 13.0 points, 5.8 assists and
1.6 steals he has averaged over his last five games going into the
weekend are more than useful in any format. ... Mayo is averaging a very
pedestrian 12-2-3 stat line over his last five games. He is still
getting 30-plus minutes per game and around 13-15 shots on most nights,
but is in a bit of an offensive lull. He is still a worthy play, but not
a must-start during this stretch.

Miami Heat Schedule: IND, @ORL, PHI, @DALGood
Plays:
LeBron James
,
Dwyane Wade
,
Chris Bosh
Bad
Plays:
Zydrunas Ilgauskas
,
Carlos Arroyo
,
Mario Chalmers
,
Eddie House
Toss Ups:
Udonis Haslem
,
James Jones
Injury Report:
Mike Miller
(thumb, ankle/January)Notes: Bosh finally
appears to be hitting his stride in Miami. A 35-point outburst against
Phoenix on Wednesday night pushed his scoring average to 20.0 over his
last five contests. His rebounding still leaves much to be desired, but
he is doing enough to remain viable in any format. ... Haslem, despite
not starting, is averaging 31.6 minutes over his last five games. He has
managed a respectable 10.0 points and 9.2 rebounds in that span and
makes for a good play in any format, especially in a four-game week. ...
Jones remains just a one-category Fantasy option, helpful only for
3-point shooting in Rotisserie or category-based Head-to-Head.

Milwaukee Bucks Schedule: @CLE, @DET, CHAGood
Plays:
Andrew Bogut
,
Brandon Jennings
Bad Plays:
Carlos Delfino
,
Ersan Ilyasova
, Luc
Richard Mbah a MouteToss Ups:
John Salmons
,
Drew Gooden
,
Corey Maggette
Injury Report:
Andrew Bogut
(elbow/day-to-day),
Corey Maggette
(leg/day-to-day),
Carlos Delfino
(neck/late November),
Chris Douglas-Roberts
(eye/late November),
Michael Redd
(knee/February)Notes: Bogut survived an injury scare late in
Tuesday's game when he hit his elbow against the floor. He said he was
sore on Wednesday, but is not expected to miss any time. He remains a
strong play. ... Maggette was hurt on the same play as Bogut when the
big man landed on Maggette's leg. He is also expected to play on and
stands to continue to benefit from Delfino's absence due to his own
injury. ... Salmons is still struggling with his shot, hurting owners in
category formats in field-goal percentage, but he is slowly coming
around and is averaging 15.0 points, 3.8 assists and 3.0 rebounds over
his last five games. He is just a low-end play for now, but has the
upside of a No. 2 option down the line.

Best Fantasy Schedules

Team

Schedule

1.

Hawks

BOS, @NJ, WAS, @NY, @TOR

2.

Warriors

DEN, @HOU, @MEM, @MIN

3.

Bulls

@LAL, @PHO, @DEN, @SAC

4.

Suns

@HOU, CHI, LAC, @DEN

5.

Thunder

MIN, DAL, @IND, @HOU

Minnesota Timberwolves Schedule: @OKC, SA, GSGood
Plays:
Kevin Love
,
Michael Beasley
Bad Plays:
Wayne Ellington
,
Anthony Tolliver
Toss
Ups:
Wesley Johnson
,
Darko Milicic
,
Corey Brewer
,
Sebastian Telfair
,
Luke Ridnour
Injury
Report:
Kevin Love
(knee/day-to-day),
Jonny Flynn
(hip/late November),
Martell Webster
(back/out indefinitely)Notes: Love knocked knees with
Clippers guard
Eric Gordon
on Wednesday
night, but he appears to have avoided a serious injury after it appeared
like he was in a lot of pain. Given his recent monster performances,
even Kurt Rambis can't mess with Love's minutes going forward. ...
Johnson is getting 30-plus minutes per game and has shown flashes of
being a well-rounded Fantasy option in the future. For now, he remains
merely a reserve and occasional stopgap measure. He is averaging 9.6
points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists over his last five games, going 8
of 20 from beyond the arc in that span. ... Milicic is getting more
involved offensively, even seeing 10-plus shots per game on a pretty
regular basis. He scored in double figures in back-to-back games
entering the weekend and is already a great source for blocks and a
decent rebounder. He is worth considering as a stopgap center off the
waiver wire. .... Brewer, a very streaky player throughout his career,
scored in double figures in four straight games entering the weekend. He
is a great source for steals in category play and now is less of a drag
in scoring due to his recent surge. Make the most of it in deeper
category leagues. ... With Flynn out at least another scoring period,
Telfair and Ridnour will continue to split time at point guard. They
have each managed to be productive enough alongside each other to
consider using as potential low-end plays in deeper leagues.

New Jersey Nets Schedule: ATL, @BOS, @PHI, PORGood
Plays:
Brook Lopez
,
Devin Harris
Bad Plays:
Troy Murphy
,
Terrence Williams
,
Derrick Favors
,
Jordan Farmar
Toss
Ups:
Kris Humphries
,
Travis Outlaw
,
Anthony Morrow
Injury
Report: No significant injuries.Notes: Lopez has been
called out by coach Avery Johnson on his lack of effort on the boards,
but he is starting to come around both on the glass and on the offensive
end after a slow start. ... Murphy has been bumped out of the rotation
by Johnson and has become the subject of trade rumors. Clearly, he is a
player to avoid in Fantasy, but a potential trade could be the best
thing that happens to his dormant Fantasy value. He has averaged 14
points and 11 rebounds over the last two seasons. Keep him around. ...
Murphy's loss has been Humphries' gain. Now the team's starting power
forward, Humphries has been a rebounding machine. He is averaging 13.0
rebounds and 9.5 points with just over two blocks per game in four games
since being made a significant part of the rotation. He is worth a
pickup in any format, but especially in category play for his boards and
blocks. ... Favors is still coming off the bench and could benefit in
the long run if Murphy is moved, but he is averaging just 18.6 minutes
over his last five games and just 5.0 points with 5.8 rebounds. ...
Outlaw continues to be hot-and-cold, but when he's hot he's been really
hot. He has three 20-plus scoring performances in his last five games.
He has scored just eight points combined in the other two games. He is
seeing heavy minutes on a regular basis, however, and looks to be a nice
pickup off the waiver wire and can be inserted as a low-end starter for
Week 5. He is a solid source for 3-point shooting. ... Much like Outlaw,
Morrow has been hit-or-miss. He entered the weekend having scored
20-plus in two of his previous four games. He totaled just 12 points
combined over the other two games. Pick him up as a potential stopgap
measure, but expect inconsistency.

New Orleans Hornets Schedule: @LAC, @UTA, @POR, SAGood
Plays:
Chris Paul
,
David West
,
Emeka Okafor
Bad
Plays:
Marcus Thornton
,
Jerryd Bayless
,
Jason Smith
,
Willie Green
,
Peja Stojakovic
Toss
Ups:
Marco Belinelli
,
Trevor Ariza
Injury Report:
Marcus Thornton
(thigh/day-to-day)Notes: Thornton is
dealing with a minor thigh issue, but more imporantly he has been
removed from the team's rotation for the time being, according to coach
Monty Williams. ... Belinelli, meanwhile, has scored 17-plus points in
two of his last three games entering the weekend. He is a plus 3-point
shooter and looks to be taking off after an inconsistent start. He is a
good play in category leagues for help in 3-point shooting and a viable
low-end play as a stopgap in most standard leagues. ... Ariza's shot
attempts per game remain well below the level they were last season and
his scoring and overall Fantasy appeal remain down as a result. However,
the 12-3-6 stat line he is averaging over his last five games qualifies
him as a solid low-end starter in most formats. He is also a consistent
source for 3-pointers and steals.

New York Knicks Schedule: CHA, @CHA, ATL, @DETGood
Plays:
Amar'e Stoudemire
,
Raymond Felton
,
Wilson Chandler
,
Danilo Gallinari
Bad Plays:
Anthony Randolph
,
Timofey Mozgov
Toss
Ups:
Landry Fields
,
Toney Douglas
,
Ronny Turiaf
Injury
Report:
Kelenna Azubuike
(knee/out
indefinitely)Notes: After two weeks worth of Fantasy-friendly
matchups, the Knicks will play four games against teams that allow below
100 points per game in Week 5. ... Randolph, on top of looking lost
every time he hits the floor, has virtually been ousted from the team's
rotation. He was listed as a DNP-CD on Wednesday night. ... The Knicks
have moved Turiaf into the starting lineup at center. A possible boost
to the 30-minute range won't do much for his offensive game, but it will
allow him to rack up blocks -- his specialty -- and a decent amount of
rebounds. Make the most of it in category leagues while it lasts. ...
Thanks to a prolonged shooting slump by Douglas that has recently been
attributed to a strained back, Landry has been able to take control of
the primary shooting guard role. The swingman has also been a very solid
rebounder and is a real sleeper for significant help in that area for a
guard. He entered the weekend averaging 8.8 rebounds over his previous
five games. His production could take a hit in Week 5 given the
predicted slower-paced games ahead for the Knicks and the possibility
that Douglas could regain some of his lost role as his back improves,
but Fields is worth a shot in deeper formats.

Oklahoma City Thunder Schedule: MIN, DAL, @IND, @HOUGood
Plays:
Kevin Durant
,
Russell Westbrook
Bad Plays:
James Harden
,
Thabo Sefolosha
Toss
Ups:
Jeff Green
,
Serge Ibaka
,
Nenad Krstic
Injury
Report:
Jeff Green
(ankle/day-to-day),
Nick Collison
(knee/mid-November)Notes: The Thunder will play three teams
that allow 100-plus points per game in Week 5. ... Green's status for
Week 5 remains up in the air and may not be determined over the weekend.
Continue to keep tabs on his progress, but have healthy alternatives
prepared. ... For however long Green remains out, Ibaka will remain a
starter. He has been playing in the 25-30 minute range even off the
bench however and will be a strong play either way -- especially given
high-volume matchups ahead of him during much of Week 5. ... Krstic
would benefit more from Green's continued absence, but he has some
low-end sleeper appeal for deeper formats anyway this week because of
the Fantasy-friendly schedule. He has averaged 9.0 points and 5.8
rebounds over his last five games while seeing 31 minutes per contest.

Orlando Magic Schedule: @SA, MIA, CLE, @WASGood
Plays:
Dwight Howard
Bad
Plays:
Mickael Pietrus
,
Marcin Gortat
,
Quentin Richardson
,
Ryan Anderson
,
Chris Duhon
,
J.J. Redick
Toss Ups:
Vince Carter
,
Jameer Nelson
,
Rashard Lewis
,
Brandon Bass
Injury
Report:
J.J. Redick
(back/day-to-day),
Jason Williams
(foot/day-to-day)Notes: Carter is averaging a career-low 10.9
shot attempts per game, resulting in a rather mediocre 15.2 scoring
average. He is also averaging just 2.2 assists and 2.2 rebounds over his
last five games and while he still makes for a decent No. 3/4 guard in
most standard formats, his days as a "must-start" appear to be over. ...
Nelson is averaging a very solid 16-7-4 stat line with great numbers in
3-point shooting and steals over his last five contests. He should be
active in more than the 60 percent of CBSSports.com leagues he is
currently active in. ... Lewis has scored in double figures just twice
in his last five contests. He is merely a category-league starter at
this juncture for his help in the 3-point categories. ... Bass has
enjoyed 24.4 minutes per game over his last five contests, resulting in
10.2 points per game and 4.6 rebounds. He is good for about a block and
a steal per game. Start him in leagues where that kind of production may
be helpful. We do not anticipate a spike in numbers.

Philadelphia 76ersSchedule: @WAS, @TOR, @MIA, NJGood
Plays:
Elton Brand
,
Jrue Holiday
Bad Plays:
Thaddeus Young
,
Spencer Hawes
,
Andres Nocioni
,
Marreese Speights
Toss
Ups:
Andre Iguodala
,
Evan Turner
,
Lou Williams
Injury
Report:
Andre Iguodala
(Achilles'/Out until at least Nov. 23)Notes: Iguodala's
situation gets more concerning by the day. One of the iron men of the
NBA, Iggy is being rested over the weekend in the hopes that he may be
able to return for Tuesday's game in Washington, but Fantasy owners will
be asked to take a leap of faith with that game coming after lineups
lock on Monday. He has indicated that this could be a troublesome injury
that could keep him out longer and may affect him even when he does
return, so our recommendation is to avoid him where possible. ...
Nocioni has been only mildly productive as a starter in Iguodala's
absence. He entered the weekend averaging 11.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and
1.0 assists over his previous five games. He has very little appeal in
Fantasy at the moment despite his role as a starter. ... Turner is
benefitting most from Iguodala's absence and makes for a quality low-end
play in Week 5, but beware of a potential dropoff in production if
Iguodala returns. ... Williams has averaged just 16.2 minutes over the
last week. He is a player to avoid until further notice.

Phoenix Suns Schedule: @HOU, CHI, LAC, @DENGood
Plays:
Jason Richardson
Bad
Plays:
Josh Childress
,
Jared Dudley
Toss Ups:
Steve Nash
,
Goran Dragic
,
Channing Frye
,
Grant Hill
,
Hedo Turkoglu
,
Hakim Warrick
Injury
Report:
Steve Nash
(groin/day-to-day),
Robin Lopez
(knee/December)Notes: Nash is likely to return
over the weekend, but his lingering groin issue really seemed to bother
him on Wednesday night in Miami when he managed just two assists. If he
can prove healthy enough over the weekend, activate him. We recommend
adding insurance off the waiver wire where possible. Dragic becomes a
decent handcuff option for deeper leagues. ... The injury that will
sideline Lopez into December has opened up playing time for Frye and he
has made the most of it. He entered the weekend averaging 14.8 points
and 6.3 rebounds over his previous four games. He is a rare
center-eligible option for help in 3-point shooting as well. ... Hill
has some mild sleeper value for deeper leagues as well thanks to the
Fantasy-friendly slate and a recent surge. He entered the weekend
averaging 16.7 points over his previous three games. He is not likely to
help you much outside of some cheap scoring, however. ... Turkoglu's
struggles have continued. He is averaging a weak 9-5-3 stat line over
his last five games. Even with the favorable slate, he should only be
active in truly deep leagues at this point. ... Warrick remains capable
of dropping 20 points one night and five the next. View him as no more
than a potential flier to take a chance on off the waiver wire.

Portland Trail Blazers Schedule: NO, @NJGood
Plays: None.Bad Plays:
Brandon Roy
,
Rudy Fernandez
Toss Ups:
LaMarcus Aldridge
,
Andre Miller
,
Wesley Matthews
,
Marcus Camby
,
Nicolas Batum
Injury Report:
Brandon Roy
(knee/out indefinitely),
Joel Przybilla
(knee/out until at least Nov. 26),
Greg Oden
(knee/out for the season)Notes: The Trail
Blazers are the only team in the NBA slated for just two games in Week
5. ... Roy is simply too risky to count on for Week 5. He is to be
re-evaluated at some point during the week and his status will likely
not be determined before lineups lock on Monday. ... Aldridge, Miller,
Matthews, Camby and Batum all make for quality plays in average-based
leagues, but only Aldridge is really worth considering in cumulative
formats. As is always the case in these situations, weigh your options
carefully. Aldridge entered the weekend averaging 17.6 points, 8.2
rebounds and 2.8 assists with over a block and a steal over his previous
five games.

Sacramento Kings Schedule: @UTA, @LAC, CHIGood
Plays:
Tyreke Evans
Bad
Plays:
Francisco Garcia
,
Jason Thompson
,
Omri Casspi
,
Luther Head
,
Donte Greene
Toss
Ups:
Carl Landry
,
Beno Udrih
,
Samuel Dalembert
,
DeMarcus Cousins
Injury Report: No significant injuries.Notes:
The Kings made a couple of adjustments to their lineup this week,
moving Head and Thompson into the starting lineup over Udrih and Casspi.
... Head has gained just mild Fantasy appeal for deep, deep leagues with
the move, managing 13-2-3 in his first start. He managed a nearly
identical stat line in his previous game after seeing very little action
to that point in the season. ... Udrih still put up a solid 18-4-2 stat
line even off the bench. He remains a quality low-end starter in
Fantasy. ... Thompson was a non factor in his 12 minutes as a starter.
He remains a player to avoid. ... Coach Paul Westphal is likely to
continue to rotate players at small forward and Greene could be next in
line. This situation is something Fantasy owners should avoid at all
costs. ... Dalembert is averaging a solid 8.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks
over his last five games, but just 7.0 points. ... Cousins posted a very
solid 15-10-2 stat line with two blocks and a steal Wednesday against
the Knicks, but should remain reserved in Fantasy barring a continued
surge over the weekend. He had been held to single digits in each of his
previous four games.

Worst Fantasy Schedules

Team

Schedule

1.

Trail Blazers

NO, NJ

2.

Celtics

@ATL, NJ, TOR

3.

Wizards

PHI, ATL, ORL

4.

Knicks

CHA, @CHA, ATL, @DET

5.

Nets

ATL, @BOS, @PHI, POR

San Antonio Spurs Schedule: ORL, @MIN, DAL, @NOGood
Plays:
Tim Duncan
,
Tony Parker
,
Manu Ginobili
Bad
Plays:
Antonio McDyess
,
Tiago Splitter
,
Matt Bonner
,
Gary Neal
Toss Ups:
Richard Jefferson
,
DeJuan Blair
,
George Hill
Injury Report:
Matt Bonner
(back/day-to-day)Notes: Divorce drama aside, Parker has
managed to keep his personal matters from affecting his play on the
court, averaging 20.4 points, 6.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds over his last
five games entering the weekend. ... Duncan endured the first
three-game, double-digit scoring drought of his NBA career over the past
week. He bounced back in a big way with 16 points and 18 rebounds
against the Bulls on Wednesday, but the days of Duncan being a no
brainer in Fantasy may be nearing an end. He remains a good play for now
and should benefit from a four-game slate without any back-to-back
games. ... Jefferson has cooled off after a strong start. He is
averaging 13.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists over his last five
games. He is merely a low-end starter for the moment. ... Blair has
scored very well but has been a good cheap source for rebounds in
category leagues and is also good for about a steal per game. ... Hill
has been very erratic, but has put together a few decent outings over
the past week. He is worth taking a gamble on in deeper leagues if you
are in a pinch as a possible source of low-end double-digit scoring and
steals, but not much else.

Toronto Raptors Schedule: PHI, @BOS, ATLGood
Plays:
Andrea Bargnani
Bad
Plays:
Linas Kleiza
,
Leandro Barbosa
Toss Ups:
Jarrett Jack
,
Jose Calderon
,
DeMar DeRozan
,
Sonny Weems
,
Amir Johnson
,
Reggie Evans
Injury
Report:
Leandro Barbosa
(shoulder/day-to-day)Notes: Jack and Calderon have been
splitting playing time almost evenly. Neither player has been a very
reliable Fantasy option as a result. We recommend reserving both until
someone can emerge. ... DeRozan remains very spotty. He followed
back-to-back 20-point efforts with 16 points combined over his next two
games. The playing time is there, but the consistency just is not. His
main problem seems to be his inability to play agressively on a
consistent basis. In the back-to-back 20-point games, he got the foul
line 12 and 11 times. In his next two clunkers, he got to the foul line
just four times. Avoid him until he can show more reliability. ... Even
with the return of Kleiza from injury, Weems kept his recent hot streak
going with an outstanding 25-point effort at Philadelphia on Wednesday
night. He has averaged an 18-3-3 stat line over his last five games and
appears to be a real steal off the waiver wire. It may not last, so make
the most of it while you can. ... After four straight games scoring in
double figures, Johnson totaled just nine points over his next two
games. ...
Reggie Evans
is averaging
11.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals in November. Do not count on him for
anything else, however, and also consider that he is shooting just 24.1
percent from the field during the month and is a horrible free-throw
shooter.

Utah Jazz Schedule: SAC, NO, LAL, @LACGood
Plays:
Deron Williams
,
Al Jefferson
,
Paul Millsap
Bad
Plays:
Raja Bell
Toss Ups:
Andrei Kirilenko
,
C.J. Miles
Injury
Report:
Al Jefferson
(back/day-to-day),
C.J. Miles
(back/day-to-day),
Mehmet Okur
(Achilles'/late November)Notes: Jefferson was held out of
practice on Thursday as a precaution due to a sore back. He should be
just fine going forward, but monitor his progress in case it begins to
affect his productivity. ... Miles is likely to return over the weekend,
barring setbacks. He continues to be good for mid-teens scoring, but
little else. ... Okur is still likely over a week away from returning.
... Kirilenko is seeing heavy playing time, averaging 36.6 minutes over
his last five games. The result has been a very well distributed stat
line of 13.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2
blocks. He is also averaging about a 3-pointer per game and just one
turnover, making him very useful in category-league play again.

Washington Wizards Schedule: PHI, @ATL, ORLGood
Plays:
Andray Blatche
,
Gilbert Arenas
Bad Plays:
Yi Jianlian
,
Nick Young
Toss Ups:
John Wall
,
Kirk Hinrich
,
JaVale McGee
,
Al Thornton
Injury
Report:
John Wall
(foot/day-to-day),
Yi Jianlian
(knee/day-to-day),
Josh Howard
(knee/December)Notes: Wall remains day-to-day after missing
two games. His status for Week 5 may come down to the wire. Be prepared.
... Hinrich has become a decent, cheap source for assists in larger
category formats. A lengthy absence for Wall could make him appealing
for any format as a low-end stopgap measure. ... McGee is averaging
close to 25 minutes per game and has yet to become very consistent in
the scoring or rebounding departments, but he is offering high-end block
production. ... Thornton dealt with an illness over the past week that
may have been the main culprit for his being held to single digits in
three straight games. He bounced back on Wednesday night in Boston with
15 points. If he can back that up with another strong outing over the
weekend, feel safe activating him as a No. 3/4 forward again in deeper
leagues, but a three-game slate with two matchups against tough
defensive teams in the Hawks and Magic does not bode well for a big week.

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